Patient&#39;s lift attachment for beds



May 16, 1944. BLACK 2,348,779

PATIENTS LIFT ATTACHMENT FOR BEDS Filed May 29, 1943 2 Sheets-$heet 1 JWWA Patented May 16, 1944 2,348,779 PATIENTS LIFT ATTACHMENT FOR BEDS Mike Black, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to H. Iii. Nieberding; Cincinnati, Ohio Application May 29, 1943, Serial No. 48!),(122

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a patients lift attachment for beds; and has special reference to a device for attachment to hospital beds, or to other beds bearing recumbent invalids or patients, for raising portions of the patients bodies above the bed mattresses, for treatment or for other purposes.

Broadly, the present invention is a modified type of patients lift attachment for beds, another or different form of which is disclosed in my prior application Serial No. 475.325, filed February 10, 1943; and an object of the present inventionis to provide a device for attachment to the sides of the bed frame for supporting and for tensioning one or more flexible bands or sheets extended transversely of the bed between the body of the patient and the bed mattress for sustaining the superposed portions of the patients body spaced above the mattress for treatment or for any needed purpose, and mechanism for raising and lowering the bands or sheets as required. Another object of the invention is to provide a pair of vertically movable posts mounted in appropriate guide frames therefor which are de-.

tachably secured to the side members of the bed, in combination with gear mechanism operatively supported in said guide frames for supporting and moving said posts to their different vertical adjustments, means for operating said mechani sin in synchronism for one side of the bed, and means in connection with the upper ends of said posts for supporting a band or sheet extending transversely 0f the bed mattress to sustain the superposed portion of a patients body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a patients lift attachment for beds comprising a pair of frames or housings adapted to be detachably secured to the side members of a bed frame, vertically movable posts extending through said frames for supporting one or more bands or sheets above the bed mattress to sustain the patients body, separate gear mechanism in said frames for moving said respective posts vertically to their different adjusted positions. and a rotary shaft extending transversely below the bed frame for operating said gearings in synchronism to move said posts and said bands or sheets to different adjusted positions. l 1 Various other objects and advantages of the invention should be apparent from the following description, reference being made to the annexed drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan View of my improved type of patients lift attachment for beds, secured to a bed frame of familiar construction and design.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device and bed frame as shown in Fig. 1. 1

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the bed frame on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the transverse shaft for operating the gearings and thereby the vertically movable posts in synchronism.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the gearing frames and posts, part of the gearing frame being in section to disclose the gearing therein.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the gearing frame approximately along the irregular line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 6-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 'l-'l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 i a sectional View of one of the duplicate vertically movable posts and racks on the line 8-8 of Fig. 4.

My improved patients lift attachment is shown mounted on a hospital bed frame of familiar form and design. Only so much of the bed frame is shown as is necessary for the purpose of clearly disclosing the manner in which the invention is detachably connected with the bed frame. The device may be attached to different types of bed frames.

The conventional bed frame shown comprises two parallel and substantially rigid and inflexible longitudinal side members i supported by head and foot frames 2. Because the ends of the side members i are rigidly connected with said head and foot frames 2, a rigid top frame for supporting the bed mattress (not shown) is provided. The rigid top frame is secured to and supported by vertical legs 3 mounted on rollers or castors 4 having familiar swivel connection with the lower ends of said legs. The lower end portions of the legs between the side members and the rollers or castors 4 are connected and held in rigid relationship by inflexible frame members 5, according to familiar practice. The mattress and the spring structure for supporting and cushioning the mattress are omitted from the drawings because these are familiar and illustration thereof is unnecessary to afford an understanding of the present invention and its mode of operation.

My present improved type of patients lift attachment for a bed of this or any other construction for which itis adapted comprises two complementary easily portable frames or housings 6 preferably of metal, for attachment to the respective side members I of the bed. As shown,

with either end the portable frames 6 are seated against the outer surfaces of the side members I between and spaced from the head and foot members 2 of the bed frame and are rigidly attached thereto. It is obvious that the frames 6 may be attached to the side members I in many different ways, one suitable means for such attachment being shown. Each frame 6 is formed with a laterally extended flange I adapted to seat upon the top of the side member Bolts 8 extend through holes in the frames 6 above the side members I and engage the upper ends of clamps 9 and cooperate with bolts I 9 extended through the lower portions of the frames 6 and engaged with the lower ends of said clamps 9. These bolts and clamps 9 provide detachable means for securing the frame members 6 rigidly on the side members I of the bed. It is evident that these clamp devices are optional, and other means for attaching the frame members 6 to the side members I of the bed may be used.

Each frame member is formed with a vertical bearing or guide II. A post I2 extends through the vertical guide bearing II of each frame 5 for movement vertically to different adjusted positions. A rack I3 is rigid with each post I2. The rack I3 may be detachably and rigidly secured to the posts I2 by screws I4 in longitudinal grooves I5, the walls of which cooperate with the screws I4 to prevent relative displacement of the racks and posts.

The gear mechanism for engaging and cooperating with the racks I3 to move the posts I2 to their different vertical adjusted positions and to support said posts in said positions is mounted in the respective frames 6. I3 meshes with a pinion l6 rotatively supported by a stud shaft There is one pinion I6 in each frame 6. Each pinion I6 is connected with a gear wheel |8 by a separable clutch I9, or otherwise as desired, so that, when the gear wheel I8 is rotated, the adjacent pinion I6 will also be rotated and will move the rack I3 and post I2 vertically. The direction of vertical movement of the rack I3 and post I2 is determined by the direction of rotation of the gear wheel I8 and pinion |6. That is, when said gear wheel and pinion are rotated in one direction, the rack I3 and post I2 will be moved upwardly, and reverse rotation of said gear wheel I8 and pinion I 6 will move said rack and post downwardly. Lateral displacement of the gear wheel I8 is prevented by a frame member 29 detachably secured to the frame 6 by removable and replaceable fasteners 2|. After the frame member 29 has been detached, the gear wheel I8, and the pinion I6 if removed from the frame 6.

As before described, there are two complementary frames 6. Two of said complementary frame members are attached in cooperative relation to the two side frame members I of the bed. An operating shaft 22 extends transversely across the bed frame below the side frame members I, and has its opposite ends journalled in the respective frame members 6. Said shaft is held from longitudinal displacement by the hubs of pinions 23 attached to said shaft, or may be otherwise held from longitudinal displacement. There are two pinions 23, one being near each end of the shaft 22, and said pinions are in permanent mesh with the two gear wheels I8 during the time that the device is mounted for use. A crank or handle 24 may be provided for engagement with at least one end of the shaft 22, or of said shaft if and as desired,

desired, may be As shown, each rack to afford manual means for rotating said shaft and thereby operating the gear mechanism to move the two posts I 2 in the same vertical direction in synchronism. As shown, the ends of said shaft are journalled in bearings 25 on the frame members 6. The outer polygonal ends 26 of the shaft 22 are within recesses 21 in the outer lower portions of the frames 6, so that the ends of the shaft are guarded and protected by said frames 6 and by the Walls of the recesses .21.

A T-fitting 28 is attached to the upper end of one of the posts I 2 and supports a horizontal bar 29. The bar 29 extends beyond both ends of the T-fitting 28 and, in the arrangement shown, is parallel with the adjacent bed side member I. A T-fitting 39 is attached to the upper end of the complementary post I2 at the opposite side of the bed and supports a bar 3| complementary to the bar 29. The bar 3| extends horizontally through and beyond both ends of the T-fitting 39 and parallel with the adjacent side member I of the bed. According to the present invention, a ratchet ring 32 is attached to the bar 3| Within the T-fitting 3|! by a pin 3| a. That is, the ratchet ring 32 is wholly within the T-fitting 30 and does not extend beyond either end of said fitting. A detent 33 is mounted for sliding movements in a supporting portion 34 of the T-fitting 39 (Fig. 7) and is actuated into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet ring 32 by a spring 35.

A cap or cover plate 36 is attached to the outer end of the supporting portion 34 of the T-fitting 39 by removable and replaceable screws 31, and functions as an abutment for the outer end of the spring 35 and also as a guard covering and protecting the detent 33 and its associated parts. A projection 38, constituting a handle, is detachably connected with the detent and projects downwardly through a slot 39 in the lower wall of the supporting portion 34 for manual engagement. In the arrangement shown, the detent 33 and the ratchet teeth 32 when interengaged permit rotation of the bar 3| in one direction, that is, in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 7, and prevent rotation of said bar in the opposite direction. The handle projection 38 constitutes means for manually moving the detent 33 outwardly in opposition to the spring 35 and to a position in which said detent is disengaged from the ratchet teeth 32 to permit rotation of the bar 3| in the opposite direction which, in the specific arrangement shown, is in a counter-clockwise direction. Of course, this arrangement may be reversed or otherwise varied as desired, the direction of rotation of the bar 3| under control of the detent 33 being unimportant. A handle 49 is attached to one end of the bar 3| and constitutes a device for manually rotating said bar under control of the detent 33.

As shown, two flexible bands or sheets. 4| have portions 42 engaging the bar 29 beyond the respective opposite ends of the T-fitting 28. The end portions 42 may be loops, as shown, or the bands or sheets 4| may b otherwise connected with the bar 29. It is desirable in any instance to provide a construction in which the end portion 42 of the bands or sheets 4| may be detachably engaged upon the bar 29. The opposite ends of the bands or sheets 4| may be extended through or into slots 43 in the bar 3| so that, when said bar 3| is turned about its horizontal axis, the bands or sheets 4| will be rolled or wound upon and around said bar, and thereby drawn to any desired degree of tension between the bars 29 and 3|. By turning the bar 3| in one direction, the bands or sheets 4| will be wound upon and around said bar and tightened or tensioned; and, by turning the bar 3| in the opposite direction, said bands or sheets may be relaxed or loosened and permitted to sag.

As shown, the T-fitting 30 is held from rotating about the vertical axis of the post I2 on which it is mounted by a pin 44 extending through telescoping portions of said fitting and said post. The T-fitting 28 is similarly held from turning about the vertical axis of the post l2 on which it is mounted. Thus, the two bars 29 and 3! are permanently retained parallel with each other so that, when the bar 3| is rotated in either direction, the bands or sheets 4| will be tensioned or relaxed equally.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the present invention provides a device including detachable and portable frames for connection with opposite side members of bed frames. The two frame members 6 may be detached from any bed frame on which they are mounted by releasing the bolts 8 and I and the clamps 9 and by detaching the bearing element 25a for the shaft 22 from one of said frames, or by detaching both of said bearing elements from the two frames to permit disengagement of the shaft 22. The crank or handle 24 is easily detachable from the shaft 22 and may be removed and replaced as desired. The pair of vertically movable posts i2 may be operated to any vertical position desired to support the superposed and adjacent portions of the patient above the bed mattress. The invention attains all of its intended objects and purposes efficiently and satisfactorily, and may be varied within the scope of equivalent limits without departure from the nature and principle of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A patients lift attachment for a bed frame having head and foot members, and longitudinal side frame members supported by said head and foot members; comprising two separate side frames detachably secured to said longitudinal side frame members between and spaced from said head and foot members, a shaft extending transversely of and below said longitudinal side frame members and having its ends journalled in and wholly supported by said frames, a vertical post mounted for vertical sliding movements in each of said frames, mechanisms wholly supported by said respective frames and operated by said shaft when said shaft is rotated for moving said posts vertically, means engageable with said shaft adjacent to one of said frames for rotating said shaft and thereby operating said mechanisms to move said posts vertically in synchronism, and a band or sheet attached to said posts and extending transversely above said longitudinal frame members for raising and lowering superposed and adjacent portions of the body of a person recumbent on the bed and across said band or sheet.

2. A patients lift attachment for a bed frame having head and foot members, and longitudinal side frame members supported by said head and foot members; comprising two separate side frames attached to and wholly supported by said longitudinal side frame members between and spaced from said head and foot members, a ver tical post mounted for vertical sliding movements in each of said frames, gear mechanisms wholly supported by said respective frames for moving said posts vertically, a shaft extending transversely of and below said longitudinal side frame members and having its ends journalled in said respective frames, pinions attached to said shaft for operating said respective gear mechanisms to move said post vertically, horizontal bars supported by the upper ends of said posts, and a band or sheet attached to said bars and extending transversely above said longitudinal side frame members between and spaced from said head and foot members for raising and lowering superposed and adjacent portions of the body of a person recumbent on the bed and across said band or sheet.

3. A patients lift attachment for a bed frame having head and foot members, and longitudinal side frame members supported by said head and foot members; comprising two separate complementary rigid frames attached to said longitudinal side frame members, respectively, etween and spaced from said head and foot members, a vertical post mounted for vertical sliding move ments in each of said frames, a rotary shaft extending transversely of and below said longitudinal side frame members and having its ends journalled in said respective frames, a vertical rack attached to each of said posts, gear mechanism wholly supported in each of said respective frames and engaging said respective racks for moving said posts vertically when said gear mechanisms are operated, pinions attached to said shaft and engaging said respective gear mechanisms for operating the same, a device engageable with said shaft at one of said frames for rotating said shaft and said pinions to operate said gear mechanisms, horizontal bars supported by the upper ends of said respective posts, a band or sheet attached to said bars and extending transversely above said longitudinal side frame members for raisin and lowering superposed and adjacent portions of the body of a person recumbent on the bed and across said band or sheet, and a manual device for rotating one of said bars to tension said band or sheet as desired.

4. In a bed frame having head and foot members, and two parallel longitudinal side frame members supported by said head and foot members; a patients lift attachment comprising two complementary side frames wholly supported by said longitudinal side frame members between said head and foot members, a vertical post mounted for vertical sliding movements in each of said two frames, a shaft extending transversely of and below said longitudinal side frame members journalled in and wholly supported by said two frames, manual means for rotating said shaft, mechanisms wholly supported by said respective frames and operated by said shaft to move said posts vertically when said shaft is rotated by said means, horizontal bars supported by the upper ends of said posts, and a band or sheet attached to said bars and extending transversely above said longitudinal side frame mem bers for raising and lowering superposed and adjacent portions of the body of a person recumbent on the bed and across said band or sheet when said posts are moved vertically as aforesaid.

his MIKE BLACK.

mark

Witnesses to mark signature of Mike Black:

MARCY V. QUAIN. JOHN D. RIPPEY. 

